Once synonymous with cringy dance trends and the Hype House, Addison Rae has successfully rebranded herself as an up-and-coming pop star. While many believe her new persona is a disingenuous act, Addison actually found her true self in her new identity.
Humble beginnings
Addison was a college student at the University of Louisiana, but dropped out in 2019 after gaining a significant following on TikTok. She then moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career as an influencer. During the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, Addison shot into the spotlight and was one of the most talked-about influencers. She joined a content house, The Hype House, and entered a public relationship with fellow influencer Bryce Hall.
Following her breakup with Bryce, Addison laid low and continued to work on music and her image behind the scenes. During this time, however, Addison’s parents were involved in a public divorce and seemed to be trying to grasp onto Addison’s fading relevance. Multiple women came forward sharing that they had been involved in an affair with Addison’s dad, Monty, and her mom, Sheri became entangled with rapper Young Gravy.
Music
Addison’s music career began in 2021 when she released “Obsessed.” It was a 2000s-inspired dance pop track that left some listeners wanting more. In July 2021, she began working with well-known songwriters and producers, one being Charli-xcx. An unreleased project of Addison’s was leaked in February of 2022 and quickly became the internet’s favorite leaked album. The positive reviews led Addison to officially release the album, AR.Â
AR developed a cult following who were seeking even more music from Addison Rae. Fans were delighted in February 2024 when she announced she was actively recording new music. Prior to her own release, she was featured on Charli xcx’s remix of “Von Dutch” as well as with Charli on an A.G Cook track. Both features heavily hyped up her audience who had been waiting for a single of hers. In August 2024, Addison released “Diet Pepsi” which was met with very positive feedback and marked her first appearance on the Billboard Hot 100. Diet Pepsi reminded listeners of Lana Del Rey and was something different, an Addison Rae single once again left fans wanting more.Â
Addison
In April, she announced the date of her upcoming album while performing with Arca. She released a total of 5 singles prior to the album, building up significant hype and excitement. Addison was officially released on June 6th and was met with great reviews. The album takes clear inspiration from artists such as Britney Spears, Bjork, Madonna, Lana Del Rey and Lady Gaga, the latter three being named in the track “Money is Everything.” Addison captures themes of self reflection, confidence and Addison’s own experience in the spotlight, differing from common themes of other popular albums, like love or sex. “Times Like These” and “Headphones On” discuss the struggles of insecurities, overthinking and manifesting, much more insightful themes the public thought we’d get from Addison.Â
Although not everyone’s cup of tea, Addison received overall good feedback from fans and received an 8.0 rating from pitchfork. Addison took the album on tour after its release, performing in 32 countries to many sold out shows. Despite the commercial success, many critics don’t think Addison’s album or rebrand is genuine. The way Addison portrayed herself in 2019-2021 is much different than the image she has now, and people think it’s an act. In response, Addison told Rolling Stone, “I’m not the same person you used to know.” She also has gotten attention because of her electric music taste, some of her favorite artists including artists like FKA Twigs and Kelela. So, her new pop alternative style may not be so disingenuous after all.
Addison’s album is different from most of the other albums released in 2025 so far, and to me, it feels very genuine. She was recently nominated for the Best New Artist Grammy award, to which I think she is a great candidate. She obviously is not going anywhere anytime soon, as the internet already tried cancelling her a few times, mostly for trivial things. She has support from bigger artists such as Charli xcx and Lana Del Rey, and the general public is mostly on her side. Time will test if Addison’s new style is truly genuine or if it’s a cash grab, and the internet will be the first to call her out if her act is fake.